New Horizon Staff Emergency Fund

As the world struggles to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, no community is unaffected. New Horizon Special School had to shut its doors on March 13th due to Ghana's stay at home order, and will remain closed until further notice. 

New Horizon  is a school located in Accra, Ghana for children and adults with intellectual disabilities such as Down syndrome, autism, and cerebral palsy. Founded by Mrs. Salome Francois in 1972, New Horizon has lovingly served thousands of children and adults over the past 48 years. 

New Horizon's nine classrooms and sheltered workshop are a haven for children with disabilities to learn, grow, and dance (a LOT). Everyone who enters New Horizon is swept up in its joy. Teachers singing their lessons, children laughing, assistants cheering children on as they write and walk and feed themselves. The staff at New Horizon treats their students as their own children. As Leonora Bright, a teacher at New Horizon wrote, "We eat from the same plate with them, we hug them, and try to fit in their world." 



Students at New Horizon pay school fees subsidized by donations and fundraising activities, which are used to pay New Horizon's staff. Due to the school's temporary closure, no fees or donations are being collected, hence the need for this fundraiser. It costs 43,000 Ghana cedis (roughly $7,500) to provide a month's salary for New Horizon's 36 employees. If you are lucky enough to have a little extra money at this time, please consider donating. 

On a personal note, I was a volunteer and teacher at New Horizon for three years, and grew very close to the staff. They, quite literally, clothed, fed, and sheltered me. We went to weddings, funerals, and baby naming ceremonies together. We went on trips together, to the market together, to students' houses for fufu on Saturdays. I had the privilege of watching the staff at New Horizon care for their students with kindness, respect, and humanity-- they are the living representation of unconditional love. These men and women have given so much to this world, and at this difficult time, wouldn't it be nice to give back to them? 


(Photographs and video shared with permission)